RYAN GIGGS sent Spurs crashing to earth with a strike that was out of this world.
The evergreen veteran whipped in a superb free-kick to cancel out Jermain Defoe's first-minute opener.
Midfield ace Anderson lashed United into the lead before Paul Scholes was dismissed and Wayne Rooney wrapped up the points.Scholes was sent off for two trademark fouls — all in the space of five minutes.
The veteran was booked for a late studs-up tackle on Defoe. And he was given a second yellow for a lunge on Tom Huddlestone on 59 minutes.
And Alex Ferguson blew his top at ref Andre Mariner — claiming Scholes' reputation as a rubbish tackler was to blame for the red.
He moaned: "It was terrible sending off, I think the referee got it wrong. I have looked at the video twice and I don't see any sending off.
"The Tottenham player is the one who has committed the real foul. Scholesy was a foot above him. He's never touched him.
"He's been sent off because his name is Paul Scholes. That is why he was sent off. It was a ridiculous decision.
"It could have mattered. You are down to 10 men against Tottenham and only have a one-goal advantage. It's not easy."
Harry Redknapp saw his 100 per cent record blown away by the champions. But the Spurs boss wasn't too downcast to have finally lost.
He said: "I have never got carried away. It's still a great start, 12 points from five games. It wasn't an easy start for us in terms of games this season, with Liverpool and Man United at home, but I fancied us to get something.
"We had a fantastic start and we were seeing three points again. But we knew they would come back - that's why they win titles and European titles.
"They have outstanding players - (Darren) Fletcher was fantastic, I thought."
A roller-coaster first half began in incredible fashion — with Defoe finding the net after just 49 seconds.
Midfield bruiser Wilson Palacios won the ball for Spurs and, after a string of cute passes, Benoit Assou-Ekotto centred for Peter Crouch.
The beanpole striker forced Nemanja Vidic to head back across goal — where Defoe scored with an astonishing scissor-kick.
The goal kick-started the United charge, and Spurs stopper Carlo Cudicini soon found himself in the thick of the action.
The Italian kept out Darren Fletcher — but after 25 minutes he was well beaten by Giggs.
The 35-year-old fired in the free-kick to haul United back into the game.
Ex-Chelsea keeper Cudicini then saw an incredible scramble where United missed THREEchances.
Wayne Rooney had his shot smothered — but Spurs were back in trouble when Dimitar Berbatov pounced on the loose ball.
The Bulgarian's effort was cleared off the line, before he blasted over the rebound.
Aaron Lennon was fuming after a Fletcher foul went unpunished and Peter Crouch headed over. And four minutes before the break Anderson fired United in front with his first goal for the club.
The second-half began as manically as the first — with Robbie Keane blasting over the bar and Peter Crouch hitting the woodwork.
Spurs were given a way back in when Scholes was sent off. The hosts started to pile forward with their man advantage — but Rooney nearly caught them with a classic sucker-punch.
Rooney hared forward as United counter attacked, and was only kept out by a top-notch Cudicini save.
It was a sign of things to come and the in-form striker wrapped up the points in the 77th-minute, delivering two nutmegs on his way to sliding in the third.
Tottenham: Cudicini, Corluka (Hutton 69), King, Bassong, Assou-Ekotto, Lennon, Huddlestone, Palacios (Jenas 46), Defoe, Crouch, Keane (Kranjcar 72). Subs Not Used: Gomes, Bentley, Pavlyuchenko, Naughton. Booked: Palacios, King, Jenas. Goals: Defoe 1.
Man Utd: Foster, O'Shea, Ferdinand, Vidic, Evra, Fletcher, Scholes, Anderson (Nani 81), Giggs, Berbatov (Carrick 62), Rooney. Subs Not Used: Kuszczak, Owen, Fabio Da Silva, Jonathan Evans, Valencia. Sent Off: Scholes (59). Booked: Vidic, Scholes. Goals: Giggs 25, Anderson 41, Rooney 78.
Att: 35,785
Ref: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
Att: 35,785
Ref: Andre Marriner (W Midlands).
